1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to electrical power generating systems, and particularly to a hydroelectric power generating system including a man-made reservoir with one or more penstocks extending from a common waterway and one or more electrical generating turbines disposed along each of the penstocks.
2. Description of the Related Art
Hydroelectric power generating systems have been known for a considerable period of time. Conventional systems utilize a natural geographic basin, valley, or the like, and place a man-made dam across a channel in the natural terrain to create a reservoir upstream of the dam. The water is then made to flow through one or more power generating turbines in the dam (or in a powerhouse constructed with the dam), to generate electrical power. Generally, only a single generating turbine is installed in each penstock of the facility, although multiple penstocks are common in a single conventional hydroelectric power generating system.
An example of such a conventional hydroelectric power generating system is found in Japanese Patent Publication No. 9-177,654, published on Jul. 11, 1997. This reference describes (according to the drawings and English abstract) a hydroelectric power generating system incorporating a single penstock run with multiple generating turbines installed therealong. One embodiment is illustrated having an upstream reservoir and dam and a second downstream reservoir and dam, and generating turbines installed downstream of each dam.
Another example is found in Chinese Patent Publication No. 2,880,912 published on Mar. 21, 2007 to Wu Jinnan. A plurality of generating turbines is installed in series along stepped concrete bases downstream of the dam.
Thus, a hydroelectric power generating system solving the aforementioned problems is desired.